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Progress

Check below.. I found my flower!

I think I have nearly enough blocks to start assembling this blanket. I’d like it to be Crib sized or nearly so but need to research how big that is. I have ordered the white yarn for assembling but it has not arrived yet, should be here any time. It’s coming from KnitPicks, their Crayon, which should match this discontinued Paton’s Cotton Top. I hope.

It’s been cool enough in the evenings that we’ve just been staying indoors listening to the Giant’s games on XM, so I am getting more weaving time. I pretty much have the garden, such as it is, in and waiting for some warm growing weather. We had two optimistic days in the 80’s and now it’s back in the lower 60’s. 😦

But I am also getting things straightened around so our grandson has a place to stay. He’s arriving next week to spend some of the summer helping Randy build our new shop.  But as there has been a snag in those plans it looks like he’ll get to help build the new deck first & anything else that needs doing.

Hope your summer is both warm and going smoothly!

SUNSHINE!!!

I found it! Or rather, my sister did. it’s called iris japonica or japanese iris and seems to be considered a weed by some people. lol I gether from google-ing that is mulitplies rapidly in some areas. this isn’t one, it does multiplyhere, too, but reasonably & I am fine with it as it has a lovely flower, as you can see.

The sun is shining again at last! It is soooo lovely!  lol I am not usually bothered by cloudy and rainy days but it was getting to me this spring. Tho I had to spend some time in the shop today I’ve been out transplanting garden plants and flowers. I found another blossom on the Orchid Iris. I don’t  know the real name of this plant and cannot remember where I got the start but it’s a lovely plant and I hope someone will be able to recognize it for me. They grow about a foot tall and multiply rapidly but only bloom if they like where they are. I have not come up with a no-fail place but sometimes I get lucky and meet their conditions. If you know who this is, Please let me know!

knittin’

I’ve been wanting to try my hand with these 0000 knitting needles and found that Sis had some in her stash so I borrowed them and got out some lace weight yarn, found a pattern and started knitting. Frogged my first effort as I could not keep track of the pattern, it being very small. Frankly, I couldn’t see it! lol  Old eyes, dark yarn, and really small stitches do not make for good knitting partners. But this one is a k2p2 rib and so far I have managed to find all the dropped stitches. I have about 1 1/2″ done so far and at least 3-4 more to go. If I don’t poop out entirely it’s going to take most of the summer to finish this! Thank goodness I have the looms to go to when my eyes start x-ing! lol 

I am working on the baby dresses and I think they are coming along well. I just wish I had a baby to try them on. One problem that came to me in the night will have to be adjusted. The first little dress I made  is a slip-over and if I recall (my baby being nearly 42 years old) that is a difficult type of garment to get on a baby or even a toddler, so I am going to have to modify this dress to make it button up.  I did order more yarn so I can make another one. I also bought some boy yarn . Now I just have to come up with a cute boy idea.  🙂

Happy Easter

Sis bought me an Easter basket for my birthday and it is in full bloom now. The first such thing I’ve had in years. Very pretty!

It’s good to have something cheerful around today as it is dark and cold  and sleeting and snowing… No sunrise this morning!

But I understand that the east is having lovely weather for Easter after their wicked winter! Congratulations to you guys!

The loom maker took yesterday off so we’ll be back in the shop today. It is warmer and drier than outdoors, anyway! lol I understand that the interstate is one again having blizzard conditions. Happy to be home in our warm shop!

Hope you are somewhere warm and dry, but if you share our weather, it is at least a good day for yarn. 🙂

Working hard

Here is Randy hard at work making your looms. We both spent the day in the shop. And the sun was shining outside! Oh well, there’ll be more sunshine.

Now I have dinner in the oven and maybe I can use the looms a bit this evening! lol

But we are taking a day off this coming week. Because… TaDa! it’s my birthday! Yes indeed, the infamous April 1st.  And we are going north and having a Ritzy dinner with my sister and her husband and then spending the night in a Bed & Breakfast, a thing I have never done and wanted to try once, at least. One of these years I’m going to take a train ride… another one of those things on my Bucket List. 😀  It may be a boring list but we each have our own version, after all!

Hope you have daffodils blooming. too!

Handwoven’s Not Just Socks contest loser.

This is the sock yarn project that was a finalist but did not win. It is one of the dresses I wove for the Hand-Woven magazine sock yarn contest. It is Tofutsies sock yarn and the trim is crocheted with Wildfoote. I knitted a ribbing on the sleeves.
This dress was woven on the 2”, 4”, & the 6” Multi square looms, weaving diagonal. I did two others from a different brand of yarn. 

The good news is that  one of the winners did win using our Hazel Rose Looms. For me that is almost as good as winning myself! Congratulations Zann!

Be sure to keep a look out for the magazine in your bookstore. Not sure when the winners will be published but it should not be long!

Still trying to be spring.

As  you see, the snow is gone again. We’ll probably have more showers but for now its lovely, blue sky, and warm.  Got up to 71 today.  It’s back into the 30’s tonight, tho, so not quite spring yet.

Here’s Randy out fixing the sprinkler he broke last fall by dropping a dead alder right on it! Good shot had he been aiming for it. but he’s good at plumbing, too and it’s all fixed for when that time comes again.

Had to take my car into Weaver to the body shop to get the fender and tail light replaced from when that pine tree backed into me.  We also picked up the nail order and some groceries.

I have a bunch of looms to ship tomorrow but we took the day off. First time we’ve spent a day out of the loom shop in two weeks. We needed that,  I did get a little done on my weaving project this evening but have not been getting much time to use them, too busy making them! 🙂  Hope you are enjoying yours, too.

Oops… spoke too soon!

This little fellow is actually in Sis’ s yard but ours look pretty much the same this morning.  We got between an inch and two of very light and fluffy snow. This morning the sun is out in a blue sky and the little breeze sets this stuff flying and falling all over again.

Randy had to go fix broken plumbing… Temps in the 20’s again… but once the crisis is over he’ll be back in the loom shop with me. We brought home a load of lumber yesterday and looking forward to this snow melting (again! ;-)) a dozen bags of manure for the gardens.

Hope you are getting some sunny and warm!

Hello

I just wanted to say that I am still here but have been so busy in the loom shop that I have hardly had time for anything else! I did get invited to send in my project to the Handwoven sock yarn contest. I’m rather proud of that. Don’t know if anything will come of it, but once they decide … one way or the other… I guess I’ll be able to show you. Even if they don’t like it, I do ! lol

Meantime, I hope you are getting some spring! Our snow has melted again and the sun is shinning this morning. I know some of you have had way too much winter for one winter so I’m wishing you an equal warm sunny spring!

We’re heading north tomorrow to pick up Randy’s new boots and re-stock the wood shop. This last couple of busy months have nearly depleted our stores. And he wants to visit with our Alaskan friend who is wintering this year in Oregon to discuss the trip up he wants to make.

But it’s back in the shop this morning…

Springtime….

Took this though the screen at the bedroom door. The white in the background is just what you think. Got about three inches on Tuesday. Rained some off yesterday but it looks like we have more coming in tonight. Meanwhile some optimistic color in the pot on the steps. The green netting is to (I hope) discourage the greys from digging everything up. I have hardly a pot of planter in the yard that hasn’t been excavated. It’s bad enough the darned squirrels plant their acorns in my flowers but then they can’t remember where they did hide them so dig up everything in their search!  I’m beginning to think I might enjoy my Dad’s old favorite.. Squirrel Stew!

But I’m getting some weaving time when I’m not in the shop making looms. If you’re on Ravelry, check the Small Looms group, the Doll WAL. A new cutie’s been posted!